As he continues his anti-corruption campaign, Ghana's President John Mahama declared that he has sanctioned more than 40 of his ministers and officials for failing to declare their assets.
Since his inauguration in January, President John Mahama has pledged to take a firm stand against corruption while trying to pull the country out of the economic crisis.
The measure taken on Monday is considered the launch of the new civil servant code of conduct implemented by Mahama.
Those who missed the deadline for asset declaration, set for March 31, will be required to pay four months' salary, with three months serving as a penalty and one month being donated to the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, a newly created fund nicknamed "Mahama Cares."
"If, by the end of the day on Wednesday, May 7, 2025, some of you still haven't declared your assets, you will automatically be removed from your position," the president said in a speech delivered on Monday at the presidential palace in Accra.
The list of those affected has not been made public.
The new code of conduct applies to all political officials, including ministers, MPs, presidential staff, and the president himself.
Furthermore, in his speech, John Mahama promised that the sanctions "will not be cosmetic." "They will be enforced. And I will not hesitate to act firmly and decisively, regardless of who is involved," he added.
Key provisions of the code include mandatory asset declarations, the prohibition of conflicts of interest, a ban on appointees purchasing public property, restrictions on gifts exceeding 20,000 GHS ($1,450), and strict approval protocols for official travel.
A public portal is being created to allow citizens to confidentially report violations of the code.
With AFP.
